


Rockin' around the Christmas bus.

by missnumbat



Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-20
Updated: 2013-12-20
Packaged: 2018-01-05 08:11:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1091613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missnumbat/pseuds/missnumbat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set during Christmas, season three, soon after Soulmates.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rockin' around the Christmas bus.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [brampersandon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/brampersandon/gifts).



“Merry Christmas Parks Department!” Leslie said as she bounced into the office wearing an elf outfit.

Ben couldn’t help but think how beautiful Leslie looked as she beamed around at everyone and drew to a halt in the centre of the group, which featured the entire Parks Department plus Ann, Chris and Ben.

“It is after work hours, can I ask why I still have to be here?” Ron said, scowling at Leslie.

“Please answer his question,” April added, leaning back against Andy as he wrapped his arms around her.

“Come on April. Leslie organises the best parties. This is going to be great!” Andy said. “Plus if there’s mistletoe, we get to make out.”

“Why don’t we make out now?” April said, turning in her husband’s arms and locking her lips to his.

Ben looked away, feeling an odd mix of nausea and envy.

Ben heard Leslie murmur “Aww, young love” before she drew her attention away from the embracing couple and started rocking on the balls of her feet as she announced “You are all here because I have organised a Christmas treat for you! We are going on a Christmas road trip around Pawnee’s parks. I have activities planned at each stop!”

“No.”

“Ron, you are Department Head, you can’t miss the Department Christmas party,” Chris said. “Plus, it sounds like so much fun, I am sure everyone will have a great time. Leslie Knope! You are a great party planner.”

“The Christmas bus is waiting outside. Get ready to celebrate Christmas – Knope style.” Leslie led the way out of the room and Ben followed eagerly. They may not be able to date because of Chris’s rule, but he wasn’t going to miss an opportunity to spend time with her outside of work.

Upon exiting city hall, Ben’s eyes were immediately drawn to the bright red bus which was parked directly across from city hall. It was covered in tinsel and flashing Christmas lights and had _Merry Christmas_ sprayed on the side with what looked like fake snow or whipped cream. It all screamed Leslie Knope to Ben.

Leslie herded the group across the street and then ran up the steps and almost overbalanced at the top.

Ben, who was following directly behind her, put a steadying hand on the small of her back.

Leslie turned around and flashed a smile at Ben before continuing on to the bus, with Ben trailing behind her.

Ben had thought that the outside of the bus was intense, but that was nothing compared to the inside. There was a real Christmas tree, covered in ornaments, stuffed into the corner. Every inch of the ceiling was covered in hanging decorations, the biggest of which brushed against his head as he made his way towards the back of the bus. The windows were lined with tinsel, there were carols playing over the radio and one of the tables between the seats was covered in Christmas themed baked goods.

“This is amazing, Les.” Ann said as she got on the bus and looked around.

“Aww thanks Ann you beautiful wise reindeer,” Leslie said, handing Ann a star shaped cookie. “This is going to be so much fun!”

“Jerry, you’re driving,” Leslie called to Jerry as he reached out to take a Christmas cupcake. He put his head down and walked towards the driver’s seat.

Ron was looking around at the decorated bus with distaste. “How is any of this sparkly crap related to Christmas?” Ron asked Leslie. “Christmas is about killing a turkey, or, if you’re lucky, a wild boar, eating it and then giving handmade wooden gifts.”

“That’s an interesting point of view Ron,” Chris said, slapping Ron on the back. “I think Christmas is about spending time with loved ones and then running a quick 20k to burn off the holiday tofurkey.”

“Hurry up Jerry,” Tom called. “The sooner we get going, the sooner I can get to the Snakehole Lounge to find my Mrs Clause.”

“What?” Ben asked, bemused.

“Don’t worry about it,” Tom muttered. “It sounded better in my head.”

Everyone took a seat as the engine of the bus rumbled to life. Ben tried to take the seat opposite Leslie, but Tom got there before him. As Ben turned away to look for another seat, he could hear Tom start to grill Leslie about how long the party would take.

Ben went and sat with April and Andy, which he soon realised, was a mistake. He tried to engage Andy in conversation, but April eyed him belligerently and started making out aggressively with her husband.

Ben averted his eyes and let them drift over to Leslie instead. His mind had soon wandered far from the bus and was engaged in thinking up platonic activities he could do with Leslie. Even though he wasn’t allowed to date her, he still wanted to spend time with her. His dirty mind had other ideas though, and his innocent daydreams of playing Settlers of Catan with Leslie soon turned to make out sessions in janitorial closets at city hall.

His flow of thoughts were interrupted, probably not a moment too soon considering how dirty his thoughts were becoming, by the bus coming abruptly to a halt.

Ben saw Leslie glance out of the window and then give a huge sigh.

“Jerry, this is Lafayette Park.” Leslie called. “We need to go to Ramsett Park.”

Ben noticed that Tom had left his seat and he took the opportunity to get away from the still making out newlyweds and move closer to Leslie.

Leslie smiled as Ben took the seat opposite him and then immediately engaged him in conversation about funding models for the proposed observatory.

Ben, as always, found it hard to concentrate when faced with the full force of Project Leslie, but managed to hold up his end of the conversation and even come up with a couple of good ideas.

He was disappointed when, all too soon, the bus drew to a halt again.

Leslie took a quick peek out of the window and then stood up at the door of the bus, clapping her hands as she did so.

“Ok everyone! This is going to be so much fun.” Leslie smiled around at everyone. “Let’s go!”

As Ben lined up at the door to exit, the sound of carols wafted through the bus and, upon disembarking, he saw ten little girls dressed in traditional caroller’s garb. They stood singing around one of the trees in the park, which was decorated with stockings.

Looking closer, Ben noticed that each stocking had a name embroidered on it.

“I made Christmas stockings and personalised gifts for everyone!” Leslie declared, gesturing at the tree. “The amazing Pawnee Goddesses will sing carols as you all find your stockings and open your gifts. Then it’s back on the bus to the next park!”

Ben ran his eyes over all of the visible stockings, but couldn’t spot his name of any of them. He walked around the tree until he saw a bright red and green stocking with his name and what looked like a miniature horse embroidered on it.

Ben reached up and took the stocking off the branch it was hanging on. It felt extremely light in his hand. He reached in and pulled out a small photo frame, which contained a picture of him and Leslie at Li’l Sebastian’s pen, taken on the last day of the Harvest Festival. He was touched that Leslie would give him a photo of the two of them.

Ben could hear the sounds of wrapping paper ripping, and he went back around the tree to join the rest of the group. He slid the framed photo in to his jacket pocket and walked up to Leslie.

“Thanks Leslie, my present was perfect.”

Leslie beamed up at him. “You’re welcome. I thought you should have something to remember the Harvest Festival by. And I thought it would be nice to have a photo of just the two of us.”

Ben was unsure how to respond, but was saved from saying what he was sure would have been in breach of Chris’s rule by Ann, who came up to Leslie, carrying a knitted owl.

Leslie turned her attention briefly to her best friend before checking her watch.

“Back on the bus everyone. It’s time to move on,” Leslie called over the continued sounds of carolling. “But first can we give a round of applause to the Pawnee Goddesses. That was lovely carolling ladies. You have all earned a Christmas spirit badge.”

Ben clapped along with everyone else and then made his way back to the bus and resumed his seat.

“Next stop is Harvey James Park.” Leslie announced as the bus pulled away from Ramsett Park. “The amazing and beautiful April organised the next activity when I was too busy dealing with the racoon infestation in Tucker Park. I just know it’s going to be great.”

Ben noticed that April seemed to be trying to suppress a smile, and he would bet that the activity that April had planned would not be fun.

Ben, while lost in his thoughts about the kinds of horror April may unleash upon them at Harvey James Park, failed to notice that Leslie had walked over to him.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” Leslie asked, taking a sip from a bright green drink.

Ben was momentarily distracted by the sight of Leslie’s pink tongue darting out of her mouth to lick a drop of the green liquid from her upper lip. “Uhhh…Yes, I am enjoying it,” Ben said. “I think it’s great that you’ve gone to this much effort for your co-workers. Most office Christmas parties I have been to have involved half warm drinks in a dingy conference room. I think you’re…I mean, it’s wonderful.”

Ben hoped that Leslie hadn’t noticed his slip of the tongue and was waiting anxiously for her reply. Before Leslie could respond, Ben’s attention was drawn to Donna, who had drawn close to them and was glancing up at the ceiling above their heads.

“You can get it.” Donna said suggestively, glancing at them and then once more at the ceiling.

Ben looked quickly up at the ceiling and saw a small sprig of mistletoe, directly above his and Leslie’s heads.

“But I didn’t hang mistletoe.” Leslie spluttered, not noticing that April was watching the situation intently from behind the Christmas tree.

Ben flushed and awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck, wondering how he could get out of this situation. He didn’t want their first kiss to be forced. In fact, he shouldn’t want to kiss her at all.

Ben noticed that Leslie had a small smile on her face, even as she shook her head warningly at Donna.

“You have to kiss. It’s the rules,” Donna ordered.

Wanting out of this situation Ben took two steps backwards and mumbled, “No….it’s inappropriate….colleagues….no dating…uhhh bye.”

He tripped while trying to take a third step backwards and then fled to the back of the bus.

He heard Donna say “Damn girl, why would he pass up that opportunity? You are looking hot tonight,” but was thankfully out of earshot for Leslie’s response.

His feet felt sweaty and he knew he had handled that situation poorly. He was sure that Leslie would now think that he thought she was gross and unkissable. Why had he done that? He should have kissed her, Chris’s rule or no. In fact, he should have kissed her in front of the wildflower mural in city hall. Hotate’s curse breaking spell mustn’t have worked after all.

Ben hid at the back of the bus until it pulled to a stop. He lagged behind as everyone else exited the bus.

Upon exiting the bus, Ben noticed that everyone was clustered around a small enclosure.

The two animal control guys were standing in the enclosure along with a dog wearing antlers, what looked like a cage containing two dead pigeons, and a racoon in a cage wearing a Santa hat.

Leslie seemed to be talking earnestly to April, and as Ben got nearer to heard Leslie say “What happened to the reindeer? Why are these bozos here?”

“I couldn’t find any baby reindeer like you wanted. There is no baby reindeer farm in Pawnee.” April responded. “This is the best Pawnee has to offer.”

Leslie sighed. “Alright, everyone back on the bus. The next stop is going to be much better.”

Ben got on the bus first, followed by the rest of the Parks Department with Leslie bringing up the rear.

“Ok, we are on our way to our last stop, which is the wonderful Lot 48. I didn’t organise any bathrooms, so everyone can use Ann’s house,” Leslie called out as the bus started. Ann only looked mildly put out.

Ben decided that he wanted to apologise to Leslie for the mistletoe incident before they reached their next stop. He squeezed his way past Ron as he approached Leslie, who was still standing after making her announcement.

Just as he stopped next to Leslie, the bus swerved violently with a screeching of tires and Ben was flung against Leslie. He felt his body collide with hers and then he was falling. He desperately tried to turn in mid air to avoid landing on her, but it was too late - he found himself on top of Leslie on the floor of the bus. He had luckily managed to get his hands out in front of him, and he took some of the impact in his arms, rather than Leslie absorbing all of his weight.

He looked down in to Leslie’s eyes, thinking that in better circumstances, having their bodies pressed together like this would be indescribably amazing. His head started to move closer to hers of its own volition. He was sure that he saw Leslie’s head start to move up towards his and felt a momentary sense of exhilaration.

“Get a room you two,” April said.

This startled Ben out of his shock and he quickly rolled off Leslie to stand up and offer her his hand.

Ben helped Leslie up and then, once more, fled to the back of the bus, mortified by what had happened. Underneath his embarrassment though, he was relishing the fact that his body can been pressed against Leslie’s for the briefest of moments.

Ben had just decided that the fall hadn’t been such a bad thing after all, when the bus pulled up at Lot 48.

Ben stepped out of the bus and found himself in a winter wonderland. There was fake snow all over the grass and a giant decorated Christmas tree. A small distance away from the tree there was a marquee from which the delicious smell of waffles was drifting.

Leslie led the way to the Christmas tree, under which lay the Secret Santa presents she had collected from everyone earlier that day.

Andy appeared from the bus wearing a slightly askew Santa costume and tugging on a fake beard.

As Andy approached the tree, Leslie said “Right, now that And...I mean Santa is here, he can hand out the Secret Santa presents.”

Ben’s was the first name called and he walked forward to claim his present, avoiding eye contact with Leslie who was standing next to Santa-Andy.

He walked back to the group and unwrapped his present. It was a calculator. It was not Doctor Buttons, but it was still a very nice one. He would have to think of a name for it.

As Ben stood there, weighing up the relative merits of Professor Pi and Sir Counts-a-Lot, everyone else was making their way up to the tree one by one to receive their presents.

“And this one’s for me!!” Leslie exclaimed as she picked up a present and, without giving it to Santa Andy, started ripped the wrapping paper off to reveal something bright red.

“Oh wow. It’s ummm...” Leslie turned the present over and examined it.

Leslie went as red as her present when she realised what her gift was.

“What is it?” Tom snatched the present out of Leslie’s hands.

“Damn girl, that’s a candy thong!” Tom exclaimed gleefully.

Donna did not look at all surprised by this development as she chuckled and winked at Tom. Ben choked on nothing at all as his brain began to short-circuit.

“Ok, well thanks Secret Santa,” Leslie said, having recovered from the shock. “That’s the last of the presents. There are JJ’s waffles and plenty of whipped cream on the tables in the marquee, so help yourselves.”

Ben started to head toward the marquee before he realised that his hands were freezing and he had left his gloves on the bus. He turned around and retraced his steps, climbing inside and bending over in front of the seat he had been sitting in to search the floor.

He heard a quiet noise behind him and spun around. Leslie was standing right behind him, her hair sticking out from under her elf’s hat and a half empty flute of champagne in her hand.

“Hi,” Leslie breathed.

“Hi,” Ben replied, unable to take his eyes from her face.

Leslie quietly pointed upwards and Ben’s gaze followed, finding the mistletoe, hanging down above their heads.

“It’s the rules,” Leslie said with a smile. Self control be damned, thought Ben. He took one step forward, placing his hands on either side of Leslie’s face and bringing his lips down to hers. Leslie’s mouth felt feather soft as his lips moved against hers. She parted her lips slightly and as the tip of her tongue flicked out and touched his lips, he thought, _It’s going to be a wonderful Christmas_.


End file.
